General Membership meetings are for all adult, associate and youth squad members.
Prospective members in the squad are also welcome and encouraged to attend.
These meetings are important for transacting squad business, communicating and
clarifying information and meeting new members. We try and keep the meetings short
and focused and not go over items covered in other communication vehicles.
We ask that you carry out your responsibility as an interested member of the
organization and make every effort to attend these meetings.

Squad Officers and Board of Directors for 2004
Elected as Squad Officers at the January Membership Meeting were

Personnel Officer:

Robert Chen

Financial Secretary:

Ron Freed

Four (4) Associate member seats on the Board of Directors remain open. We will try and fill the vacancies at the February membership meeting.

Board of Directors
Warren Weiss has been elected Chairperson for 2004.
Dan Tyroler has been elected Vice Chairperson for 2004.

Grants

Senator Frank Padavan has advised that he has secured for the squad a $5,000 legislative grant for the 03-04 fiscal year. Paperwork will be forthcoming and we will not receive the check for several months.

Ridgewood Savings Bank has awarded the squad a grant of $2,000 and the check has been received.

Ambulance Maintenance

JAM-4:

On Thursday 2/5/04 a defective gear shift indicator sending unit was replaced by a Chevy dealer in Huntington.

A red lens on one of the rotators in the lightbar broke off. Action has been initiated to get a replacement lens.

On Sunday afternoon 2/8 a problem with the front end developed. On Monday morning 2/9 the vehicle was taken to Neville and the problem was fixed in a few minutes - a dust cap on the axle end had come lose from hitting too many potholes.

JAM-5: Vehicle remains in service ONLY as a utility vehicle.

Policy Reminders
If you are expected to be on shift on a specific day, please call your crew chief as well as the Duty Officer if you cannot make it to the tour. It shows courtesy to your fellow members and may allow us to secure a substitute in your absence. It is okay to have a life outside of JEVAC, it is not okay to make your crew members wait for you and you don't show up.

With the current concern over security, our vehicle and crew may be stopped while on the road or barred from participation at an MCI or major event standby unless our members have proper identification.

A JEHSB VAC patch must be worn on an outer garment. WEARING A UNIFORM THAT IDENTIFIES YOU AS A MEMBER OF ANOTHER EMS OR FIRE ORGANIZATION WHILE ON JEHSB VAC SHIFT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
A patch identifying a crew member's level of care (EMT, CFR, Paramedic or CPR) must be worn on an outer garment be it shirt, sweater, pullover, jacket or coat. The patch should be on the right sleeve.

Required by NYS DOH and NYC REMSCO on your person while on shift:

EMT, CFR, Paramedic or CPR card

Squad issued photo ID

Drivers License if serving as driver

Government issued photo ID  driver or non-driver ID

Special Event Crews Needed

April 17 – Fresh Meadows Little League Parade.

May 15 – Queens Special Olympics at St. John's University

Recently Issued NYS DOH Policy Statements
03-11, 12/10/03 RE: Respiratory Disease Precautions. Provides information and recommendations for the transport of patients with potentially infectious respiratory illnesses. Also provides updated guidelines for "respiratory etiquette" and the use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) as well as recommendations for preventive health care measures for EMS providers.

News About NYC Emergency Service Providers

BENSONHURST VAC has suspended service. No further information is available at this time.

ROCK VAC is organizing Rockaway Peninsula Disaster and Emergency Management Meeting scheduled for Thursday evening March 4, 2004 starting at 6:00 PM. Elected officials, local emergency service providers, OEM, FDNY, Red Cross and other have been invited.

Courses
For a complete listing of upcoming basic and refresher EMT and CFR courses in the city please call the
Regional Emergency Medical Services Council of NYC at (212) 870-2301 or check their web site at www.nycremsco.org.
Information on Red Cross CPR courses is available by calling (800) 514-5103.

GERRITTSEN BEACH VFD, (718) 332-5859 is offering:
CFR-D BASIC, Sundays, 3/14/04 to 6/6/04, 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Cost $400. Free for members of VACs and VFDs that have an assigned NYS DOH EMS agency code number. Students are required to furnish their own textbook: Brady - 1st Responder, 6th or 7th edition. The course sponsor will furnish all other training materials and supplies. State test will be Thursday, June 17, 2004 at 7:00 PM.

Mark Your Calendars

FIREMEN's ASSOCIATION OF THE STATE OF NY (FASNY) 22nd ANNUAL EMS SEMINAR, Saturday 3/13/04 & Sunday 3/14/04 at the NYS Fire Academy, Montour Falls, NY. Registration is $30.00. Lodging and meals at the Academy is $80.00 for two nights. For more information call FASNY at (800) 2FASNY2 or go to the web site at www.fasny.com.

SPRING MELT FIRE & EMS FLEA MARKET Sunday 4/4/03, 9;00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Allentown Fairgrounds, in Allentown, PA. This is a great show for memorabilia, t-shirts and used fire and EMS equipment such as lightbars, sirens, helmets, etc.

HUDSON VALLEY REMSCO'S 2004 Inside EMS Conference will be held at the Holiday Inn in Fishkill, NY (at Routes 9 & 84) on May 14th and 15th, 2004. Event features speakers, seminars and exhibits. For more information call (845) 567-6740 or e-mail hvremsco@hvremsco.org

FIRE EXPO 2004, Friday May 21 to Sunday May 23, 2004 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA. Admission $7.00. 350 vendors and over 225 emergency vehicles are expected to be displayed. This is one of the largest Fire-EMS-Rescue shows in the country.

NEW JERSEY STATE FIRST AID COUNCIL 2004 CONVENTION, Thursday, October 14, 2004 through Sunday, October 17, 2004 at the Nevele Grande Resort & Country Club, Ellenville, NY. For information check the web site at www.njsfac.org

VITAL SIGNS CONFERENCE 2004, Friday 10/29/04 to Sunday 10/31/04 at the Buffalo Convention Center, Buffalo, NY. Sponsored by the NYS DOH Bureau of EMS. Includes general sessions, workshops, exhibits and awards banquet. For information contact Donna Gerard at (518) 402-0996 extension 3 or check the web site at www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/ems/vitalsigns.htm